The Adventures of Elliot is a very expensive gem of a game. It has a simple, almost predictable story that’s actually part of its charm, beautiful audiovisuals, and a polished, if repetitive gameplay, sure. But it’s also being sold for a lot more money than games in this genre with this amount of content usually demand. Beyond that financial hurdle, though, it remains one of the most thoroughly enjoyable JRPGs to have come out recently if you’re looking for a beautifully focused, classic experience.

Burglin' Gnomes turns a simple premise into a surprisingly engaging co-op sandbox where physics, progression, and player improvisation constantly create memorable situations. Its crafting system, persistent hub, and natural team specialization give each run more purpose than simply causing chaos, making it easy to lose track of time while chasing objectives or just watching everything fall apart. While inconsistent interactions and occasional objective issues keep it from reaching its full potential, it's still an easy recommendation for anyone looking for a chaotic multiplayer experience with plenty of personality.

Meccha Chameleon feels like a “forever game” in a sea of party games on Steam, and part of its appeal is all thanks to its inventive twist on the hide-and-seek genre. The best part is that it’s only the beginning for this viral sensation as more copies are being sold every day. Its low price point, paired with endless community mod support, can even draw in non-gamers because it’s such a low-risk purchase that’s well worth gifting to friends on a boring Friday night.

Kernelbay is an indie idle fishing game that doesn’t try to be more than it is, and that’s mostly where its strength lies. It’s a game you leave running, come back to, buy upgrades in, and repeat the cycle at your own pace. Its soundtrack and ambience stand out the most, filling in the space where a story could have been and carrying a lot of the experience through its quieter moments. While some of its progression systems don’t feel as impactful as they could be, the overall package still comes together as a solid, relaxing idle experience.

Realm of Ink is a game of possibilities. It feels deliberately designed to make players sink dozens of hours into exploring every build and satisfying that gamer hunger for big numbers. And it works. Every session feels unique, and the rewards for getting the builds right is immense. Now, if only the developers add more bosses and randomize their rotations, it could make the experience even better.

Pokemon Champions arrives on mobile platforms as a more realized iteration of itself, becoming the most accessible, comprehensive official Pokemon battling experience. The gameplay loop of teambuilding, battling, and recruiting Pokemon is fully present and accounted for in all of its complexity, while translating beautifully into a mobile setting. It's certainly been getting better since its original release, with recent updates heralding new rulesets, meta-breaking additions to the Pokemon roster and, for the first time in mainline competitive history, regular balance updates. It’s not for everyone, and paywalled progression can hurt the overall gameplay experience, but there’s truly nothing like it.

Dave the Diver: In the Jungle is definitely a must-have DLC. It feels like the perfect way to continue the Dave the Diver saga, and the addition of a plethora of content makes it worth the price tag and the time commitment. It’s not just a short, done-and-dusted additional pack—it feels like a well-polished game. It has a great blend of both old and new mechanics that keep the game engaging.

It has been over a decade since a proper NBA street-style experience has come out (I'm not counting you NBA Playgrounds), and NBA The Run looks to fill that void, albeit barely. Though its gameplay is reminiscent of the classic NBA Street series, it fails to become another cult classic with its lack of offline game modes, legends, and hip-hop soundtrack.

Warhammer 40K: Rogue Trader’s newest DLC is an experience that manages to impress and stay consistent throughout the whole game. It might not go above and beyond, especially since not much was added to the game by comparison to its older DLCs. However, the things they did add proved to be much more impactful than expected, resulting in a game and DLC series that CRPG fans must pick up and play.

The Backstage succeeds more as a directional improvement than a fully self-contained chapter, refining gameplay systems and introducing a strong new protagonist while deliberately holding back on narrative closure. Its biggest strengths lie in mechanical innovation and atmospheric design choices that push the experience forward, even if its short length and restrained storytelling prevent it from reaching a higher tier. The result is a DLC that feels confident in its ideas but aware of its role as a stepping stone, making it more exciting for what it sets up than what it fully delivers.

There is a lot to love about Voidling Bound despite its story and missions relying on frustrating grind and predictable objectives. Still, the core gameplay remains engaging enough to carry the experience, especially when experimenting with increasingly powerful Voidlings. Once you get past the mutational flaws in its lack of variety, there is a surprising amount of fun to be had. Much of that comes from its deep customization, supported by its Evolution and Splicing systems, which encourage constant tinkering and creativity that keeps you bound for hours on end.

F1 25: 2026 Season Pack succeeds in changing how races feel through the regulation changes, the addition of Boost and Overtake, and a denser grid that constantly keeps you under pressure. So while you’re not getting a ton of new content or modes, every race becomes more about how you react in the moment. This DLC sharpens racing into something that more closely reflects what Formula 1 itself is currently evolving into, taking players along for that same shift in identity rather than just updating numbers on a roster. It’s simple, if you enjoy how the new regulations have increased overtaking and made races more dynamic this season, you’ll have a blast with this DLC. If you don’t, it can still be enjoyable on a mechanical level thanks to how much faster racing feels, and how it gradually helps you understand the management behind the new systems.

Solarpunk doesn’t capture the spirit of its namesake until far, far later into the game, but it’s at least a relaxing sandbox where you can do pretty much anything you want (as long as it fits within the confines of its cozy game genre). Its best moments come from building alongside friends and watching a small floating island grow into a thriving home. It’s definitely not a game for everyone, especially since it can feel a bit empty at times. However, players who enjoy setting their own goals and taking things at their own pace will find plenty to like among the clouds.

Despite a handful of shortcomings, STARDUST: Wish of Witch is an easy game to like Its story may follow well-known tropes and its combat does not always make full use of its ideas, but its cast and the sheer quality of its presentation carry it a long way. Kniv Studio’s debut leaves a big impression and makes me excited to see what the team does next.

Gothic Remake delivers a very specific kind of RPG experience with conviction, but not without clear friction. On one hand, its identity is extremely strong: the progression system is rewarding once it clicks, the faction structure meaningfully shapes how you experience the world, and the sense of learning the colony through struggle is something few modern RPGs attempt at this scale anymore. But on the other hand, that same identity comes with trade-offs that are hard to ignore. The early hours can be so punishing that they risk pushing players away before the systems properly open up. Technical issues like crashes and bugs also interrupt what is already a demanding experience. Add to that the repetition in quest structure and moments of pacing slowdown, and you get a game that can feel uneven. It’s a game that absolutely knows what it wants to be, whether that's a strength or a barrier depends entirely on how much friction players are willing to accept in exchange for its highs.

Mina the Hollower is a grand, exhilarating adventure that never lets up, springing out fully formed as an absolute "mouse-terpiece." The thrill of discovering new areas, levelling Mina up to become stronger, and conquering seemingly impossible boss fights only gets more rewarding as you utilize everything the game has to offer and become the strongest Hollower you can be. The worldbuilding presents a beautiful, colorful setting that you’ll want to root for, even if the story suggests a more complex, morally grey truth to it all. Yacht Club Games has conquered its sophomore slump and delivered a truly special experience, one that, on every level, sparks joy and wonder even amidst turmoil and strife.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth on the Switch 2 is full of compromises, sure. That didn’t stop it, though, from being an impressive port of one of the best RPGs in recent years. It’s blurry and unstable in handheld mode, and I do agree that these distract from the experience, but the brilliance of its combat, characters, and storytelling isn’t lost to the weaker hardware. It may not replace the PS5 version, but as a way to experience a massive adventure like this anywhere you want, Rebirth feels at home on Nintendo’s handheld hybrid.

007: First Light is a title that fans of the 007 franchise definitely needed. It is a near-perfect simulation of a James Bond video game, complete with engaging gameplay, great presentation, and a compelling narrative that encapsulates the franchise’s identity. It is, without a doubt, the best 007 game of all time, and no other game in the franchise comes close.

Poppy Playtime Chapter 5 ultimately stands as one of the more cohesive and narratively forward-moving entries in the series, successfully balancing exploration, puzzle-solving, and high-intensity chase sequences into a consistent experience. While it occasionally struggles with clarity in its scare design and leans on repetition in certain gameplay moments, its strongest elements—particularly its environmental storytelling and escalating lore—keep it compelling throughout. It may not fully escape the franchise’s familiar limitations, but it confidently pushes its core experience forward in a way that makes it a worthwhile continuation rather than just another incremental chapter.

Coffee Talk Tokyo’s compelling new Japanese setting highlights important cultural issues tied to living in a rapidly changing world, all told through Toge Productions’ nuanced writing. While the game could have benefited from voice acting and a few exploration-focused gameplay segments, these shortcomings hardly matter when Tokyo remains committed to delivering a fascinating blend of character arcs that are easy to care about. Paired with the cozy ambiance of simply listening to people talk over a cup of joe, the experience is more than enough to leave a strong and lasting aftertaste. All you really have to do is sit down and listen.

Schrödinger’s Call delivers powerful, heart-wrenching themes of grief, self-worth, and isolation—all while remaining committed to a single route. Combined with its striking blend of surrealist, sketchbook visuals, emotional music, and justified pricing, the game exceeds expectations. It’s a must-try for fans of Japanese visual novels and welcomes newcomers to the genre without labyrinthine routes that overwhelm. Just be sure to get your tissues ready, though.

Much like the game that came before it, Zero Parades is dense and only works if you’re willing to sit with its long conversations and rather slow buildup. It does a lot of what its predecessor does, but it still manages to be its own thing once you get past the comparison. It doesn’t always feel smooth or easy to follow, but it often rewards your patience with truly glorious moments.

LumenTale: Memories of Trey is an amazing debut from a budding studio, using familiar elements to create a refined, fresh take on the creature-collector genre. It confidently integrates an intricate 4v4 battle system centered on team synergy and RPG mechanics such as consequential choices and crafting recipes. The depth of its world and boundless potential for team comp mix-and-matches in repeated playthroughs are outstanding, despite being held back by a relatively generic narrative. Still, it distinguishes itself as a worthwhile monster tamer that will surely surpass modest expectations.

"In the grimdark of the forty-first millennium, there is only war. "These are the words that all Warhammer games and products live by, and Mechanicus 2 does so to a blood-soaked tee. Bringing the frontlines of Hekateus IV to your desktops and consoles with its deep strategy, satisfying progression, amazing art, showstopping audio, and dual-POV campaigns, it’s hard to find something to dislike about this game if you’re a Warhammer fan, and hard to deny its pull if you aren’t. By the Omnissiah or the Phaeron, it matters not; this game is glorious all the same.

Battlestar Galactica: Scattered Hopes, in its attempts to fit within the legendary 2004 series, manages to be a beautiful labor of love that still maintains its own distinct, robust identity. From the moment it recreates the iconic opening intro of its predecessor in its distinct art style, the game’s ethos is clear. It is a tightrope act in both homage and self-actualization, capturing the downbeat intensity of its parent series perfectly while translating it seamlessly to a challenging roguelite structure. Its harsh difficulty and endlessly hopeless atmosphere will prove a hurdle for newcomers, but the feeling of perfectly navigating dire crises and barely escaping subsequent Cylon attacks intact never ceases to be exhilarating.

At its best, the game feels like stepping into a living picture book where curiosity is constantly rewarded and every new creature adds another small piece to a larger, playful ecosystem. That sense of wonder carries a lot of weight and makes the experience genuinely enjoyable in short, focused sessions. However, once the initial novelty settles, the repetition and simplicity of its structure become harder to ignore, especially for players looking for more mechanical or narrative depth. It’s a game that succeeds more in moment-to-moment discovery than in long-term retention, resulting in an experience that’s easy to appreciate, but not always easy to stay fully invested in.

LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight is the perfect game for Bat-fans, in all forms of media. It manages to keep the spirit of its original stories while putting its own comedic spin on them and adding every memorable reference to the franchise that any fan would recognize, no matter how small. On the gameplay side, it successfully combines two different identities into an enjoyable experience, instantly making it one of the better Batman games out there.

Rune Dice proves that just because you’re unique, that doesn’t mean you’re rolling high at the table. Though the core gameplay is innovative and genuinely charming to start, both it and its accompanying audio start to wear thin after the first couple of hours. There’s little satisfaction in building a deck with the pieces you’re given, though you do get a lot of them. In the end, it’s one high roll followed by snake-eyes all around.

Thick as Thieves is an odd game that suffers from its barebones campaign and questionable launch content, but its incredible stealth gameplay and low price tag at five dollars easily carry the experience. Between its immersive atmosphere and layered heist levels that reward patience and experimentation, there’s still something to appreciate in its moment-to-moment gameplay. Still, it feels like a game that needed more time to properly reveal its grander vision, showing its cards too sparsely, without the kind of prep-time you’d expect from a master thief’s plan.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle on Switch 2 stands as a remarkably complete handheld adaptation of a cinematic adventure that was never originally built with portable limitations in mind. What makes it work is how consistently the core experience survives the transition. Puzzles remain engaging, exploration stays immersive, and the sense of being part of a globe-spanning mystery never fully fades. The trade-offs in visuals and performance are real and occasionally noticeable, but they rarely undermine the moment-to-moment enjoyment.

Though I never expected Directive 8020 to be a mechanically complex game, I expected more from its gameplay than what it delivers. Even for a Dark Pictures title, it’s light on things to do and even lighter on optimization, with visual and save bugs infesting the game’s guts like some ravenous alien. The story is superb, though, if you can get past the episodic structure and occasional wacky dialogue. It’s a stellar sight and a haunting listen, so if you’re fine spending most of your time watching people die, this frigate of frights might be for you.

Dread Neighbor delivers a terrifying slasher experience thanks to its strong atmosphere and multiple character vignettes, even if it stumbles in its linear pacing and overreliance on jumpscares. Its short two-hour runtime and low price make it an easy recommendation for those looking for some quick, intense scares. While it doesn’t evolve much from the creator's previous game, Dread Flats, its shifting perspectives and strong final sequence help it stand out as a worthwhile follow-up.

Forza Horizon 6 feels like the series finally reaching full confidence in what it wants to be. It delivers an open-world racing experience that’s easy to get into without losing depth, visually stunning without sacrificing player freedom, and packed with enough variety that simply driving around doesn’t stop the fun. While a few technical rough edges and a lighter narrative structure keep it from perfection, the overall package succeeds where it matters most: inspiring players to genuinely want to keep getting back behind the wheel.

Gamble With Your Friends is exactly what the title describes and what it sounds like. While it can be brutal in its progression, its charming visuals, variety of mini-games, and immersive gameplay elements make it one of the more enjoyable multiplayer games for short play sessions with friends to laugh and occasionally crash out about. It’s a game that lets you enjoy the thrill of gambling without the real-world consequences—unless you don’t meet the quota and have to lose a body part or two.

Outbound is a cozy exploration game that does well on its basics—exploration, crafting, building—but fails to really keep the magic and entertainment after a few hours due to its taxing gameplay loop that feels like it rewards so little for so much effort. Nevertheless, the game is fun in its own right, although more improvements and changes would make it even more enjoyable for a wider audience.

Everything may be crab, but not everything is well with Everything is Crab. It’s a tad too simple for its enterprising attempt at evolving the roguelite formula, but I still think it’s another crab game that’s worth treasuring. Splicing simply addictive gameplay with a famous high-brow meme and enough difficulty levels to challenge anyone, this game’s got the potential to template a better attempt in the future. We must’ve just caught it mid-evolution is all.

MOTORSLICE is one of those games that will surprise you, in a good way. The satisfying platforming, combined with its presentation, music, and immersion, makes it a completely different vibe. Certain elements, like its combat and lack of replayability, leave much to be desired, but it’s undeniable that it’s interesting and engaging from the title screen all the way through the end.

Despite a few pacing issues, some uneven character writing, and occasional frustrations with backtracking, Sea of Stars succeeds where it matters most: it consistently makes the adventure feel fun to experience. The combat remains engaging, exploration rewards curiosity, and the mobile port itself is polished so that it doesn’t feel like a downgraded version of the original release.

Will: Follow the Light is a frustrating experience because the foundation for something memorable is clearly there. Beneath the repetitive puzzle design, uneven writing, and technical frustrations lies a genuinely interesting premise supported by immersive sailing mechanics and strong atmospheric audio. There are moments where the game briefly captures the emotional and cinematic adventure it wants to be, but it struggles to sustain that momentum for long before falling back into its more exhausting habits. For some players, those stronger moments may still be enough to carry the journey through to the end. For others, the game’s shortcomings will likely overshadow the experience long before Will reaches the light.

Mixtape is much like many coming-of-age stories you’ve probably heard before, but it tells it with so much warmth and creativity that I wanted more of it. As a game, it won’t surprise everyone, but its writing, music, and the dreamlike essence of its presentation make even predictable story beats meteor down to the surface with so much emotion that by the time the night was over, I felt like I was saying goodbye to old friends I’d only just met.

Kiln is built on a really fun idea, and for a good while, it’s a blast. Sculpting wearable pots and crashing into other players carries an infectious energy that’s hard not to enjoy with friends. Unfortunately, beneath all that molded clay is a multiplayer experience that still feels too thin, too repetitive, and too unfinished to hold attention for much longer than a few good nights of goofing around.

In terms of comfort in gameplay, holoVillage sits snugly where most of its peers rest. There’s no urgency to anything, allowing you to tackle its content at any pace you like. Unfortunately, it’s not very memorable, which is a quality that many of the genre’s greats have despite their inherent lack of climactic events, and it’s not very replayable either. It thankfully has a lot of content to devour, though, so it manages to salvage itself from obscurity.

Just as the moon covers the sun, with lost Carcosa awash with golden yellow, Saros eclipses all in its wake. Boasting a deep and synergistic core gameplay loop evoking Returnal, premium difficulty balancing options, emotionally-driven character writing, and the newest look cosmic horror has seen in decades, you wouldn’t be driven mad by playing this game; you’d be mad not to. Strange is the one who cannot fathom the greatness of Saros, but stranger still is lost Carcosa.

Invincible VS is a great tag fighter that utilizes the franchise’s identity to a remarkable level. Its top-notch presentation, noticeable competitive depth, and easy-to-grasp approachability make it a game worth playing for fans of the series and the genre alike. It still hasn’t quite reached its final form just yet, but it has the potential to become truly Invincible.

NTE is a game that feels like it’s constantly pulling you in different directions, yet somehow still holds together as a cohesive experience. It wants to be a gacha RPG, a city life simulator, a driving game, a management sandbox, and a narrative-driven anomaly hunter all at once. And instead of collapsing under that weight, it actually becomes a strong foundation to support how its systems interact and flow with each other. Of course, that ambition isn’t perfectly refined yet. Some systems still lean a bit too simple and story pacing can break immersion when level locks interrupt momentum. But even with those rough edges, the important part is that NTE never feels aimless. It commits to what it is trying to be—a multi-layered city RPG where everyday life and anomaly-driven chaos coexist.

Aphelion is easy to admire from a distance, but the closer you get, the emptier it feels. Its story relies on a relationship it never really builds, and the gameplay does little to keep things interesting in between the nice-looking moments. Aside from the performances and the immaculate soundtrack, the game is as distant and impossible to connect with as its namesake.

Lay of the Land is a decent game at its core, with almost all the basic sandbox game mechanics ready in one package—sprawling land, intricate building mechanics, decent crafting gameplay, and basic combat—but ultimately, it feels like an Early Access title that hasn’t had enough time to cook in the oven yet. It’s got a solid foundation of its basic gameplay mechanics, but it could definitely benefit from a lot more improvements in the long run.

Darkswitch is another case of a game that should have been released on early access being unleashed to the world at large as version 1.0. It feels thoroughly incomplete and untested thanks to its myriad of bugs, glitches, and questionable design choices. While there is a solid understanding of core mechanics buried here, it is unfortunately overshadowed by every other detail of the execution.

DRAGON QUEST Smash/Grow is a serviceable “survivors-style” RPG that looks and sounds just as you’d expect from the historic franchise. Its lackluster roguelite mechanics and lack of mechanical depth anchor its gameplay, ultimately making it a repetitive experience that’s easy to play and drop at a moment’s notice. However, players should be wary of the game’s abhorrent monetization scheme and progression walls, as these are not only worse than most gacha games but also a huge time sink that offers little satisfaction beyond repetition.

Yunyun Syndrome!? Rhythm Psychosis is one of those games that thrives on contradiction. It’s simple but chaotic, forgiving yet overwhelming, structured yet constantly slipping into uncertainty. It doesn’t aim for mechanical perfection, nor does it try to be a pure rhythm skill test. Instead, it builds an experience where rhythm gameplay, narrative descent, and sensory overload all feed into each other. The forgiving mechanics dilute mastery for some players, and the audio design occasionally clashes with itself in ways that feel more noisy than intentional. These aren’t dealbreakers, but they do keep it from reaching that higher tier of refinement. Still, what it does well, it commits to fully, and that commitment is what makes it stick.

Despite my gripes and the moments of frustration during my first ten hours, I still find the game fun to play. I want to see how this map expands and how my settlements might look once these systems are finally humming in sync. [Early Access Impressions]

Damon and Baby is a bold step for Arc System Works and a solid action-adventure game with a warm, molten core thanks to its lovable cast. It asserts itself as a well-thought-out action title thanks to its emphasis on gunplay, enemy design, and strategy. The creators of Damon and Baby set out to prove that they could make a good action-adventure RPG, and sure enough, Damon and Baby shows that Arc System Works should keep diversifying their catalog.

Vampire Crawlers is a game that goes straight for the jugular and doesn’t let go until your schedule’s bled dry. Although it is indirect with its storytelling and isn’t as visually and aurally unique as I would’ve wanted, the gameplay hard carries by being innovative, exhilarating, and concerningly addictive. There’s no deckbuilder or dungeon crawler like this out there, at least not yet. No doubt every other dev will want a bite when Vampire Crawlers pioneers a new sub-genre as its predecessor did.

Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream is a weird, funny, and sometimes endearing life sim where the best moments come from pure randomness and your own imagination. It works best when you just let your Miis interact and watch the small stories they create on their own. The repetition and lack of online sharing are unfortunate, but it still manages to stay entertaining in short bursts thanks to how much personality it squeezes out of simple systems.

Tides of Tomorrow is a breath of fresh air. It’s a unique take on a post-apocalyptic future that conveys something deeper to the player through its player-driven narrative and the moral dilemmas you’ll have to face. More than that, the asynchronous multiplayer features and the variety of gameplay allow for a more entertaining interactive adventure. While it may have simplistic gameplay and binary decision trees, it’s definitely not an average adventure game; it's a remarkable experience that excels at what it does.

It’s easy to enjoy Ys Memoire: Revelations in Celceta for what it is: a fast and straightforward JRPG that still feels good to play even years later. However, its age shows in ways that are almost impossible to ignore. It’s a decent entry for newcomers curious about Ys, but returning players may find there’s just not enough to justify another trip through Celceta.

Rather than delivering a consistently smooth experience, Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss is a game that thrives in its investigation systems, atmosphere, and environmental storytelling. At its best, the game makes you feel like you’re actively reconstructing events rather than simply progressing through them. However, the experience is held back by uneven pacing and occasional controller mishaps. The result is a strong but imperfect experience that resonates more as a standout concept than a fully polished execution.

OPUS: Prism Peak is simply art—from the gorgeous visuals to the profound story that will surely tug at the heartstrings to the emotional delivery of the character voices and the well-written cast. There’s little to dislike and a lot to love about the game, especially for those who appreciate a bit of fantasy in their relatable game narratives. Aside from the slow pacing sometimes and the need for a few gameplay improvements here and there, it stands proudly as a wonderful title, one that shares a tale that may hit close to home and that will stay with you even after the credits roll.

The Golden Age of Animation wasn’t called that for nothing, and MOUSE: P.I. For Hire is its modern gold standard following the likes of Cuphead and Bendy. Though relatively simple as a shooter and not up to par pacing-wise, this game has the production value and vision of yesteryear, and is a hand-made, hand-drawn testament to the art form of animation. Back it up with jazzy tunes and the best voice actors money can buy, and you’ve got another squash n’ stretch best-seller hot off the presses.

REPLACED is ultimately defined by how strongly it commits to its identity. Even when its gameplay structure leans repetitive or its combat pacing becomes overwhelming, the experience rarely loses its grip thanks to its exceptional visual direction and emotionally grounded storytelling. It doesn’t aim to reinvent its genre mechanically, but instead refines how a cinematic 2.5D world can feel to inhabit. And the stylish, atmospheric, and quietly human experience will stay with you well after it ends.

All Will Fall proves that being hyperbolic isn’t the play when it comes to showing off your game. Although it does not disappoint in some aspects, namely its faction mechanics, premise, narrative potential, and replayability, it drops the ball on the main attraction. Physics-based city-building is barely implemented and hardly restricting. The game’s title begged that all would fall, and fall short of its own promises, it did.

Pokemon Champions feels like a title that suddenly had to launch due to chasing a specific quarterly report. While otherwise nearly perfect as a platform, lacking a multitude of very important items on release makes the game feel fundamentally incomplete. The paywalled quality-of-life additions are also a major deterrent, especially for those who expected a way to engage with VGC without owning the mainline games. It's still a wonderful attempt at making competitive Pokemon more accessible, though, and is definitely something that'll only improve in time.

Even though People of Note doesn’t always find its rhythm, it’s still a decent turn-based RPG with a strong identity. The story and characters are likable and relatable, but the pacing rushes important beats and leaves some arcs feeling undercooked. It’s consistently enjoyable, sure, just not as deep or as bold as it could have been, especially in its gameplay mechanics.

Super Meat Boy 3D is much more than just a 3D retelling of a beloved title; it’s an exercise of mastery of platforming design, made in the image of a cube. Though far from accessible (despite its best efforts) and still somewhat similar to its predecessor, the inclusion of Dark World Levels and the design space opened by an entire new dimension of space gives it a platform to stand on. Best you load up on controllers, because Meat Boy’s back on the menu.

Raccoin: Coin Pusher Roguelike proves that anything can become a hit roguelike if designed well enough. Not content to just slap some roguelike mechanics on an existing idea, Raccoin presents something uniquely addicting across a complex, layered gameplay progression that goes beyond comparative description. All that for much less than an arcade trip would cost. Forget breaking a dollar for the coin pusher, take all of mine for Raccoin.

The Weeping Swan is a great linear visual that offers a complete audiovisual and genre experience at a cheap price. And though it does have a set of eyebrow-raising endings, questionable character development, and a number of translation and technical issues on launch, you’ll still be hard-pressed to find a visual novel of its quality without spending more money. So, if you’re the type who values the journey more than the destination, you’ll find that this is a work worth your cash.

Cooking Simulator 2: Better Together is Cooking Simulator 1’s seemingly more put together younger sibling—less chaotic, more structured, but still entertaining to a point. However, it suffers from its plethora of bugs that range from mildly annoying to actually game-breaking and soft-locking, as well as a clunky UI, that dampen the experience. Nonetheless, it’s still a decent game—maybe just wait for a couple more patches.

Subliminal isn’t perfect, but it knows how to get under your skin. Some rough edges and unforgiving segments prevent it from being flawless, yet the story, atmosphere, and psychological tension pull you in and keep you thinking even after completing an ending. While it may not appeal to everyone, for those willing to dive into its eerie corridors and confront Caleb’s fracturing mind, it delivers a sharp, immediate sense of horror that keeps your heart racing while you’re playing.

If the base game wasn’t already one of the best soulslikes during its year, AI LIMIT’s DLC seeks to further its already jaw-dropping value proposition by being a completely free update to an already cheap title. What’s more, the content is enough to keep any soulslike enthusiast for a dozen-odd hours! Truly, it’s one of 2026’s most pleasant updates yet.

GRIME 2 is a direct improvement to all aspects of its predecessor and doubles down on what makes it great in the first place. Featuring a unique aesthetic, deep combat systems, and textbook Metroidvania exploration, this is a title worth playing for fans of the genre.

Despite being heralded as one of the more underrated games in the Mega Man franchise, Capcom did absolutely everything in its power to showcase the best version of the Star Force trilogy, and it shows. From added quality-of-life features, restored content, and adjusted gameplay mechanics from the old touch-screen only controls, on top of how great these games already were, they have delivered their arguably best remaster collection to date.

Life is Strange: Reunion delivers a carefully crafted send-off for longtime fans, full of emotional depth, nuanced character relationships, and a story that rewards attention to the smallest details. While the gameplay can feel limited and technical hiccups occasionally distract, the strength of the narrative, the exceptional audio, and the quiet, intimate moments carry the experience. It may not be flawless, but Reunion is a heartfelt farewell to Max and Chloe.

Star Savior is a veritable Frankenstein’s Monster of a gacha game, taking multiple elements of previous successful mobile titles and stitching them together as a product that somehow works. But although it has impeccable visual appeal, insane replayability, and an amazing cast of characters, it’s heavily compromised by its progression system that seems more interested in charging you for the experience than letting you have a great time.

Warframe's Switch 2 port looks and runs just as Digital Extremes has promised. The visual upgrades, fast load times, and overall stability showcase the hardware's strengths and make it one of the best ports for the long-standing MMO looter-shooter hybrid. Not to mention its longevity. While there are some issues with the Joy-Con 2's mouse mode and some bugs, it's still a port worth trying, especially since it's free.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder is already a great game, and its Switch 2 upgrade only makes it better with cleaner visuals. Meetup in Bellabel Park, though, feels a lot less essential. Some content, like the challenge stages in Toad Brigade Training Camp, has fun ideas, but the bulk of the expansion is short-lived minigames and remixes of previous levels. It’s still a nice excuse to replay the game, but most of what’s new doesn’t stick for long or feels like it truly adds much

Screamer is a colorful, chaotic, fast, and fun arcade racer that manages to pair high-octane gameplay with a surprisingly robust narrative. It’s not perfect—progression is limited, and certain campaign restrictions can be frustrating—but the unique mechanics, engaging characters, and fast-paced races make it a standout in its genre. For fans of classic arcade racing, it’s a title that hits almost all the right notes.

Timberborn is a good, almost natural, marriage of two genres that couldn’t quite surpass its own issues to become something greater than the sum of its parts. Late mechanics implementation, lower replayability than expected for a 1.0, and unhelpful tutorials all drag down an otherwise amazing game. There’s much holding it back and much holding it up, amounting to a great, but imperfect title overall.

Ariana and the Elder Codex doesn’t do anything absurdly new, but it understands what makes this kind of game work and sticks to it. The combat and build variety carry the experience, even when the story becomes predictable and the enemy design feels thin. It’s a solid and well-made action-platformer that’s easy to enjoy, as long as you know what you’re getting into.

Monster Hunter Stories 3 feels like a prematurely released game that could have been truly great. It’s got everything from the series’ signature monster collecting mechanics, the gritty turn-based combat, and much, much better audiovisuals than its predecessors. Unfortunately, beyond the bloat of grinding for stronger monsters and watching filler, there’s not much content to actually engage in.

Death Stranding 2's PC port showcases the power of the Decima Engine once more, proving its superiority in both optimization and presentation. "To the wilder" difficulty also adds the much-needed challenge that it sorely needed, making it the definitive version of the game.

Etrange Overlord is a classic case of a game hiding its true value between its surface level qualities. It has the developers’ trademark humor and audiovisuals, coupled with some very basic controls. It’s dragged down by some very rough camerawork and first impressions, though. But beyond that, it offers an incredibly diverse experience and a memorable story; easily another gem for Nippon Ichi’s already star-studded lineup.

Crimson Desert is a sprawling adventure across a vast and living world that rewards every hour you put into it. The core gameplay evolves with your progress, introducing upgradable skills and increasingly demanding boss fights, with plenty of content to discover. While the narrative initially lacks direction and its threads can feel disconnected, this never outweighs the game’s many strengths. Crimson Desert is a slow burn that rewards time, patience, and curiosity.

Ghost of Yotei: Legends is a must-try DLC for owners of the base game, as they’re quite literally just improving on what was offered before. With top-notch presentation and the same engaging gameplay loop, it’s one of the more underrated multiplayer experiences out right now.

The Liar Princess and the Blind Prince succeeds as a visually appealing and emotionally resonant fable, but it often struggles to function as an engaging video game. The storybook presentation is memorable, but the shallow puzzles and clunky platforming make the actual journey underwhelming. It is a beautiful piece of storytelling that unfortunately lacks the polish to match its artistic ambition.

Bonnie Bear Saves Frogtime delivers a fun, whimsical adventure with a charming blend of quirky comedy alongside relatable heartfelt moments. It also comes packaged with cute visuals, a unique music score, and engaging gameplay, wrapped up in a lovely cozy game that’s sure to entertain. There are a few minor issues here and there, but they don’t sour the gameplay experience to a fault.

John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando is bursting at the seams with how much gameplay depth, artisanal vision, and genre innovation it manages to pack within its very few open-world levels. Had it the scope to contain its quality, it would’ve been the best horde-shooter for everyone out there, though it still may be for some. It’s simply too awesome for its own good.

Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly Remake is, if I dare say, the definitive edition of the series’ second entry. Stunning visuals, haunting audio, engaging gameplay mechanics, storyline—it took everything from the original and immensely improved upon it to deliver both a chilling and heart-wrenching experience. Whether you’re completely new to the series or a longtime fan, the Crimson Butterfly Remake is not one to miss.

Homura Hime is a slick hack-and-slash and bullet hell hybrid that naturally forces you to think in both mindsets at once. It’s a game that, beneath its vibrant designs and bright color palette, lies a surprisingly dark story filled with genuine shock value. It may not reinvent the genre, but it executes its ideas with enough confidence to leave a lasting impression.

Warning: Pokémon Pokopia is very addictive. Although it suffers from one-note dialogue and gates your progress in real-world hours, its clever systems and gameplay loop make it one of—if not the—best spinoffs in Nintendo’s arsenal. Even dozens of hours later, I’m still surprised that somewhere between tending gardens and chasing Pokémon traces, I found rebuilding the world to be just as satisfying as conquering the Pokémon League.

Resident Evil Village remains one of the more experimental entries in the Resident Evil franchise, and the experience translates well to the Switch 2. With stable performance in docked mode, and only minor stutters in handheld, this port is a great way to experience Village's defining gameplay. Even if the narrative isn't the strongest in the series, the solid technical performance for the game's blend of action and horror, makes this port an easy recommendation for players wanting to experience—or revisit—Ethan Winters on Switch 2.

If I can only give you one reason to buy this game, it would have to be its musical score. Each scene is elevated by a masterful orchestral soundtrack that transforms puzzles, exploration, and emotional beats into something cinematic and unforgettable. While the core gameplay of Lana and Mui navigating puzzles remains familiar, Planet of Lana 2 shines in how it builds and evolves the storytelling.

More than twenty years later, the Switch re-release of Pokémon FireRed arrives keeping everything intact, even its more frustrating quirks. It doesn’t have the smoother systems and quality-of-life updates found in newer entries, and I wish there were more tweaks to its gameplay and presentation on modern hardware, but the journey through the routes of Kanto remains as structurally sound and addictive as it was when we were playing it on our 32-bit handhelds.

Scott Pilgrim EX is a great game built for a very specific crowd. Its deliberate arcade-style beat ’em up design limits broad appeal, but fans of the genre, art style, or IP will find little to complain about. It’s cheesy, wacky, unapologetically retro, and simply EXceptional.

NeverGrave: The Witch and the Curse has highs and lows of its own, but Dead Cells is unmistakably in its DNA. From the parasitic true protagonist inhabiting bodies to the dramatic door slams after each clear, fans of one will recognize the appeal of the other. Still, NeverGrave falls short in audio and storytelling, even as its original ideas help keep things feeling fresh, but a mere copy, it is not.

Effectively a demo for 13 dollars, Welcome to Doll Town is a short novelty where the humor barely has time to land. There’s simply not enough here to justify the price, but it commits to its bit well enough to be worth considering on a deep sale.

Tales of Berseria Remake is a welcome release to update the greatest tale of the Tales series to the modern settings. However, unlike the previous Tales remakes, the additions are empty beyond the addition of the DLCs. Still, it's worth purchasing if only to get a higher quality version of one of the greatest Tales titles of the series.

Requiem is a triumph of modern Resident Evil, with alternating perspectives between Grace and Leon keeping the pacing dynamic, puzzles that challenge your wits, and exploration that rewards careful observation. The gameplay loop feels both familiar and refined, all while weaving decades of Resident Evil lore into a coherent, satisfying narrative. With its depth, content, and meticulously crafted gameplay, Requiem earns a confident recommendation as a must-buy for fans and newcomers alike.

NORSE: Oath of Blood is a decent Viking-themed turn-based title whose strengths lie in its well-told narrative, gripping voice acting, and interesting characters and dialogue. However, it’s hindered by its plethora of visual and in-game bugs, as well as several unpolished odds and ends here and there that only add to a frustrating experience.